Why do you seek the

among the dead?

Luke 24:5b-6a

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April 12, 2020

Easter Greeting and Welcome

P: Christ is risen! C: He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Hymn: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today LW #127

Jesus Christ is ris’n today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! Unto Christ, our heav’nly king, Alleluia! Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia! Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains which he endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured; Alleluia! Now above the sky he’s king, Alleluia! Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as his love; Alleluia! Praise him, all you heav’nly host, Alleluia! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

Invocation P: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.

P: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” C: The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 1 Corinthians 15:55-56

P: For as in Adam all die, C: so also in Christ, all shall be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:22

P: But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, C: even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.

Ephesians 2:4-5

P: We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; C: death no longer has dominion over Him Romans 6:9

P: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. C: He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24

P: That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share in His sufferings, C: that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:10-11

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Confession and Absolution

P: Let us not forget that it was our sin that caused Christ’s death on the cross. With His resurrection from the grave, our union with the Father is restored. Let’s come before our God in prayer:

C: Risen Lord and Savior, forgive us for our doubts and fears. We have sinned against You in our thoughts, words, and actions. We have had more to do with the things that lead to death than those that lead to life. Our own selfish concerns have prevented us from living in the power of Your resurrection. Forgive us, Lord Jesus.

P: Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, forgiveness is yours. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority and command, I announce the forgiveness of all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

P: Christ is risen! C: (Shout) He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Song of Response: Living Hope

Brian Johnson and Phil Wickham © Phil Wickham Music, Simply Global Songs, Sing My Songs, and Bethel Music Publishing CCLI# 32802

How great the chasm that lay between us. How high the mountain I could not climb. In desperation I turned to heaven And spoke Your name into the night. Then through the darkness Your loving-kindness Tore through the shadows of my soul. The work is finished, the end is written. Jesus Christ, my living hope. Who could imagine so great a mercy? What heart could fathom such boundless grace? The God of ages stepped down from glory To wear my sin and bear my shame. The cross has spoken; I am forgiven. The King of kings calls me His own. Beautiful Savior, I’m Yours forever. Jesus Christ, my living hope.

Chorus: Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free! Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me! You have broken every chain. There’s salvation in Your name. Jesus Christ, my living hope.

Then came the morning that sealed the promise, Your buried body began to breathe. Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion Declared the grave has no claim on me. (repeat) Jesus, Yours is the victory!

Jesus Christ, my living hope. Oh God, You are my living hope.

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Prayer of the Day

P: Let’s pray together:

C: Almighty God, You gave Your only Son to suffer death on the cross for our redemption, and by His glorious resurrection You delivered us from the power of death. Make us die every day to sin, that we may live with Him forever in the joy of the resurrection, through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

P: Christ is risen! C: He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

First Reading: Exodus 14:10-15:1 10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." 13 And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."

15 The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."

19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians."

26 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen." 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead

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on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

1 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.

P: This is the Word of the Lord C: Thanks be to God.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you— unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

P: This is the Word of the Lord C: Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading: John 20:1-18 1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"—and that he had said these things to her.

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord C: Thanks be to God!

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Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Children’s Message Eric Oswald, DCE

Hymn of the Day: Jesus

(Chris Tomlin and Ed Cash © 2016 S. D. G. Publishing CCLI # 32802)

There is a truth older than the ages. There is a promise of things yet to come. There is One born for our salvation: Jesus. There is a light that overwhelms the darkness. There is a kingdom that forever reigns. There is freedom from the chains that bind us: Jesus. Jesus.

Chorus: Who walks on the waters, Who speaks to the sea, Who stands in the fire beside me. He roars like a lion. He bled as the Lamb. He carries my healing in His hands; Jesus.

There is a name I call in times of trouble. There is a song that comforts in the night. There is a voice that calms the storm that rages: He is Jesus, Jesus. (chorus)

Messiah, my Savior, There is power in Your name. You’re my rock and my Redeemer; There is power in Your name, In Your name.

You walk on the waters, You speak to the sea, You stand in the fire beside me. You roar like a lion. You bled as the Lamb. You carry my healing in Your hands; (repeat)

Jesus. There is no one like You. Jesus. There is no one like You.

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Sermon: A Way Through Pastor Jeff Shearier

Offering: Raise A Hallelujah

Jonathan David Helser, Melissa Helser, Molly Skaggs, Jakes Stevens © 2018 Bethel Music Publishing CCLI#32802

I raise a hallelujah in the presence of my enemies. I raise a hallelujah louder than the unbelief. I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody. I raise a hallelujah, Heaven comes to fight for me.

Chorus: I’m gonna sing in the middle of the storm. Louder and louder, you’re gonna hear my praises roar. Up from the ashes hope will arise. Death is defeated, the King is alive!

I raise a hallelujah with everything inside of me. I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee. I raise a hallelujah in the middle of the mystery. I raise a hallelujah, fear, you lost your hold on me. (chorus)

Prayers of the Church

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Benediction

P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord look upon you with his favor and give you peace.

C: Amen.

Closing Hymn: I Know That My Redeemer Lives LW #264 v1,2,4,8

I know that my Redeemer lives! What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, he lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living head!

He lives triumphant from the grave; He lives eternally to save; He lives exalted, throned above; He lives to rule his Church in love.

He lives to silence all my fears; He lives to wipe away my tears; He lives to calm my troubled heart; He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives, all glory, to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same;

What joy this blest assurance gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!